1. Technical Field
This invention relates to vehicle audio systems and, more particularly, to a multi-channel audio system with a balance setting based on each type of audio source.
2. Related Art
Motor vehicles are currently being equipped with a wide range of audio sources. The audio sources are used for a wide range of audio, communication and driver information systems that provide varying types of acoustic information to occupants of the motor vehicle. For example, the audio sources can be used to generate acoustic driver recommendations from a navigation system, vocal instructions from a speech controlled system, audio outputs from different audio sources (radio tuner, CD/DVD player, MP3 player), traffic messages, telephone conversations and synthetic speech outputs for reading email to name a few.
The audio sources that are located in the motor vehicle may generate output signals that are meant for different listeners in the motor vehicle. For instance, whereas instructions from the navigation system and traffic messages are primarily of the driver's interest; a concurrently played CD for the children in the back seat of the vehicle is likely only of interest to the children sitting in a back seat for example. The driver or children may not want to interrupt the music being played from the CD with acoustic driver recommendations from the navigation system.
Currently, the balance setting of speakers in the motor vehicle can only be set concurrently for all audio sources. As such, a need exists for an audio system that is capable of having balance settings for each type of audio source that is used in the motor vehicle.